First shots with the new Nikon P500 (image heavy)

[SLRShooter]

[FONT=&quot]OK, while visiting my brother-in-law in Yulee, FL, I decided to shoot using only my new Coolpix P500. The 36x optical zoom intrigued me and I wanted a camera like this for trips where I didn't want to take my D300s. At a cost of $399, it is very reasonable for what you get. Here are some of the specs and first pictures:[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]36X optical lens (4mm-144mm) 35mm equivalent of 23mm to 810mm. [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]12.1 MP[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]CMOS sensor[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]f/3.5 to 5.7 (would have preferred something like f/2.8)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]VR (including video)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Macro close up up to 4"[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]3.0" monitor of 921,000[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Has both view finder and monitor[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]ISO 160-800 (high ISO of 160-1600)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Auto, Aperture pri, shutter pri, total manual[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]WB auto or manual[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Continuous shooting up to 5 shots @ 8 per second.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1080i video[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Things I'm not crazy about:[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]Monitor does not swivel[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]have to push a button to change from view finder to monitor[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]only approx 220 shots per battery charge[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]flash fires when closed (smells like something burning)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]slow shutter (when pressed to actual shutter release)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]uses SD cards[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]no RAW format
  [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]
Here are some sample shots[/FONT]. All are right out of the camera, no photoshopping at all, and only one cropped to straighten. COMMENTS WELCOME!
#1
Taken in my living room as a test of the new camera. Very first picture using the Nikon Coolpix P500. Details: 14mm (35mm equivalent of 76mm), f/4.8, 1/30 Sec, ISO 200. Not bad for a point and shoot camera.

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#2 A shot in the Okefenokee Swamp. 6.7mm, f/5.0, 1/800, ISO 160.

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#3 Dead tree in the Okefenokee Swamp. Good detail. Shot at 4mm (23mm @35mm equivalent), f/3.4, 1/500, 160 ISO.

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#4 Thistle bush. Shot at 50.8mm, f/5.3, 1/640, ISO 160.

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#5 slight crop to this one to straighten it out. Shot at Ft. Clinch, Fl. 14.9mm, 1/800, f/5.0, ISO 160.

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#6 A gator in the Okefenokee Swamp. Shot at 17.7MM, 1/200, f/4.6, ISO 160.

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#7 Another gator. Shot at 55mm, f/5.4, 1/320, ISO 160.

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#8 Shot in the Okefenokee Swamp at full zoom (144mm/810mm), hand held, f/5.7, 1/800, ISO 160. I know -- it needs to be straightened.

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#9 Barred Owl in the Okefenokee Swamp. His body is facing the opposite way and his head is turned 180 degrees towards us. Shot at 60.5mm, 1/125, f/5.5, ISO 160.

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#10 Since we were in a boat all the birds were flying away from us, thus the butt shots. Great White Egret shot at 55mm, 1/1000, f/5.4, ISO 160. Had a problem with details in the bright white, as do many camera.

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#11 Canal on the Okefenokee Swamp. Shot at 20.5mm, 1/320, f/4.8, and ISO 160.

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[banditvt]

Great shots Norm. The P500 can actually do full 1080p video not just the 1080i as you mentioned. I recently had the Nikon P100 which was the precursor to this camera. I recently had to sell it because I was unemployed up until three days ago, and really needed the money. I really miss that camera. The P100 camera was a 26X zoom which was more than enough for most situations (678mm equivalent in 35mm). In my opinion the P500 is a major step backwards. Yes the lens reaches much farther than the P100, but Nikon skimped out on several other features that the P100 had. My P100's lens would go down to f/2.8 and would only close down to f/5 at full zoom, the flash did not fire when closed in any of the modes that I noticed (This may be a defect and if it were me I would be checking in to it), the maximum shutter speed is only 1/1500th of a second on the P500, where the P100 could do 1/2000th of a second, and the continuous shooting has been slowed to 8fps vs 10fps at full resolution on the P100 (This is likely due to the sensor being 12.1MP vs 10.3MP for the P100). On paper I am not really impressed with the P500, however it still seems to retain a very good image quality for a point and shoot camera. If I ever purchase another point and shoot in the near future I would look for another P100 or anything with better specs than the P500. Don't get me wrong, I think Nikon has some of the best stuff out there with regard to the other major players, but I think there marketing direction for this particular camera is a bit skewed.

 

[SLRShooter]

Great shots Norm. The P500 can actually do full 1080p video not just the 1080i as you mentioned. I recently had the Nikon P100 which was the precursor to this camera. I recently had to sell it because I was unemployed up until three days ago, and really needed the money. I really miss that camera. The P100 camera was a 26X zoom which was more than enough for most situations (678mm equivalent in 35mm). In my opinion the P500 is a major step backwards. Yes the lens reaches much farther than the P100, but Nikon skimped out on several other features that the P100 had. My P100's lens would go down to f/2.8 and would only close down to f/5 at full zoom, the flash did not fire when closed in any of the modes that I noticed (This may be a defect and if it were me I would be checking in to it), the maximum shutter speed is only 1/1500th of a second on the P500, where the P100 could do 1/2000th of a second, and the continuous shooting has been slowed to 8fps vs 10fps at full resolution on the P100 (This is likely due to the sensor being 12.1MP vs 10.3MP for the P100). On paper I am not really impressed with the P500, however it still seems to retain a very good image quality for a point and shoot camera. If I ever purchase another point and shoot in the near future I would look for another P100 or anything with better specs than the P500. Don't get me wrong, I think Nikon has some of the best stuff out there with regard to the other major players, but I think there marketing direction for this particular camera is a bit skewed.

Gary,

The specs for the video are as follows: 480p
720p
1080i

That is directly from the Nikon web page - 1080i -not p. I would have liked the f2.8 but have found that very few times have I ever shot that wide open. Nice to have when needed but I bought it because I am going to be taking a cruise to Alaska and the 36x will be more useful than the f2.8. Or I hope so.

Was the P100 a CMOS sensor? As for the 26x P100, I might have been able to live with it but wanted the longer reach to be available. And, they had to keep up with the Canon with a 35x zoom. I also love the higher resolution screen.

Norm

 

[banditvt]

I'm not sure where on Nikon's site you're getting that information. Here is a link directly to the technical specifications for the P500 and it distinctly says there (next to "movie")that it does full 1920x1080p/30fps.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Produ....html#tab-ProductDetail.ProductTabs.TechSpecs

 

[SLRShooter]

You are right. I picked up the data from the HDMI spec. Sorry about that.